The invention is particularly well suited for use in recapping tires with a precured tread. In such recapping operations, the worn tread of a tire casing suitable for recapping, is removed by buffing and a precured tread is cemented to the buffed periphery of the tire casing. The precured tread and layer of cement are next covered by a fluid-impervious membrane, such as a piece of conventional innertubing. The assembly of tire casing, precured tread and membrane, is then subjected to a heated fluid, under pressure, for vulcanizing the layer of cement, whereby the precured tread is permanently bonded to the tire casing. In most cases, the precured tread is clearly distinguishable from the adjacent upper sidewalls of the tire, since no attempt is made to match the design of the two adjacent components. From a structural and operational standpoint, it is not necessary that the design of these two components match, but the esthetic appearance of the tire is highly improved if they do. The invention is directed to solving this particular problem by providing esthetically pleasing upper sidewalls which blend, in appearance, with the design of the precured tread.
Briefly stated, the invention is in a method of retreading a tire using a precured tread. The tire casing is first buffed in the areas of the tread and shoulders of upper sidewalls of the tire. A precured tread is positioned around the buffed periphery of the tire casing after a layer of vulcanizable cement is interposed between the precured tread and tire casing. Unvulcanized material is positioned on the buffed shoulder areas of the tire adjacent the precured tread. A pair of molding rings are then placed over the unvulcanized material. Conventional techniques used in 1 protecting the precured tread and unvulcanized rubber material from a heated curing medium, and 2 heating the assembly with the medium, are employed to bond the precured tread to the tire casing and mold and vulcanize a predetermined pattern of ribs and recesses in the unvulcanized material in the shoulder regions of the tire.